)\W Journal oti' the DEfAtiTMENT oti^ Agriculture. 



The Deterioration of Sugar in Storage. 



T\w invest igation of fiuig'i and bacteria in tlieir iclatioii to the 

 sugar industry has, for the past three years, been receiving the study 

 and researcli of Dr. P. van der Bijl, of tlie ])ivisioii of liotany, and 

 liis staff, at the Natal Herbarium, Durban. 



The fungi responsil)le for disease in cane have been dealt w'\\]\ 

 in a numl>er of departmental publications, and in the Februaiy, 

 1921, number of the Jounuil a resume was published of the diseases 

 of sugar cane known in Natal and Zululand (" Notes on Some Sugar 

 Cane Matters"). 



To the sugar industry fungi are. however, of further importance, 

 for many of the common moulds are resjjonsible for the deterioration 

 of sugar during storage. In the Dei)artment's Science Bulletin No. 

 12,* Dr. Van der Bijl deals Avith the part played by fungi and 

 bacteria in this deterioration, and the results of his further investiga- 

 tions into the matter have now been publislied in Science Bulletin No. 

 18. t While the investigation is being further pursued, it may be 

 mentioned that the two bulletins referred to g*ive the most com- 

 prehensive account of the subject thus far published in South Africa, 

 and contain information and data Avhich should be valuable io all 

 interested in the manufacture or warehousing of sugar. Special stress 

 is laid on cleanliness in sugar mills and sugar warehouses, the resulls 

 of exjjeriments with various disinfectants Ijeing recorded and practicil 

 suggestions given as to those best suited to the industry. 



The proper drying of sugar before bagging is an important factor 

 in the subject of deterioration caused by fungi. Along the Natal 

 coast deterioration is at its worst during the hot summer months with 

 high relative humidity. Next to cleanliness in the manufacture, 

 the warehousing of sugar, its proper drying before bagging should 

 carefully be taken into account, and every attempt made to keej) the 

 warehouses dry during the months of high humidity and temperature, 

 l)oth of which have an important bearing on the deterioration of sugar 

 1)V fungi. 



Fodder and Pasture Grasses of South Africa. 



Dr. Pole Evans, in his presidential address to the South African 

 Association for the Advancement of Science, said : "It is obvious 

 that South Africa is first and foremost a pastoral country, and as 

 such her stock-raising potentialities are mainly dependent on the veld. 

 The greater portion of the natural grazing land throughout South 

 Africa is subject to extremes of climate, i)eriods of drought, and harsh 

 treatment at the hands of nuvn, but in spite of all, its recuperative 

 powers are untold." The Department has always realized the 

 importance of this matter and for some years past has been experi- 

 menting with many grasses, both indigenous and exotic, subjecting 

 them to varied conditions and testing them for their value as fodder 

 — either as hay, grazing, oi' ensilage. As a result, information of 

 considerable value to the stock farmer has accumulated, and the 



* " Preliminjiry Studies on Some Futi^i and Bacteria responsible for the Deterioratioj of 

 Soiitli African Sutrar," oV)tainable from this office, price Id., pre-paid. 



t " Studies oil Some I-'unui and the Deterioration of Siiuar." oljfainablc from this dftice. 

 prifc 3(1.. pre-paid. 



